1. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘Follow the example of those after me: Abu Bakr and Umar.’2 [1]

2. He was the first adult male and the first free man to accept Islam; [2]

The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wassallam) informed his Companions (radhiyAllahu ‘anhum) that, whenever he invited a person to Islam, that person would hesitate before making up his mind to embrace Islam – except for Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu), who neither hesitated nor wavered. [3]

3. Immediately upon embracing Islam, Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) made it his primary mission in life to spread the message of Islam to others. [4] Many embraced Islam at his hands; here are some examples: ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Auf, Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqaas, Az-Zubair ibn Al-‘Awaam and Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidullah (radhiyAllahu ‘anhum). These particular five were the fruits of Abu Bakr’s Dawah. Once these five brave men entered the fold of Islam, others began to follow. [5]

4. The Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wassallam) said: “Abu-Bakr has favored me much with his property and company. If I were to take a Khalil (an intimate friend) from mankind I would certainly have taken Abu1 Bakr.” [6]

5. He was the one and only companion whom RasulAllah (salAllahu’alayhi wasallam) chose to accompany him in the Hijrah to Madinah. [7]

6. If the eman of Abu Bakr was put on one side of the scale and the eman of this entire Ummah on the other, Abu Bakr’s eman would have outweighed. [8]

7. Throughout his life, the Prophet (salAllahu’alayhi wasallam) appointed only one man to lead Muslims in prayer in his place, and that man was, ofcourse, Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu). [9]

8. When the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) died, people fell into a state of shock and disbelief. It was Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) who then brought them back to their senses, saying to them his now-famous words: “Whoever used to worship Muhammed, Muhammed has indeed died. And whoever used to worship Allah, Allah is alive and never dies.” [10]

9. He was the first khalifah after the death of Muhammed (sallAllahu’alayhi wasallam) [11]

10. Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) was the first to begin the compilation of the Qur’an, under the advice of Umar (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu). [12]

11. Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) said, “I do and apply (in terms of actions, policies, etc.) everything that the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wasallam) did and applied, for I fear that, if I abandon any part of his way (or system of rule), I will go astray.” [13]

12. Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) lived in the moment, using every second of his time to better himself as a Muslim.

13. Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) died at the age of 63, which was the exact age at which the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wassallam) died. As per his instructions, [15] Abu Bakr (radhiyAllahu ‘anhu) was washed by Asmaa bint ‘Umais (radhiyAllahu ‘anha) and was buried alongside the Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alayhi wassallam). [16]

Imām al-Dhahabi narrated in his Siyar (12/67) that Yaḥya b. ‘Awn and Imām Suḥnūn entered upon Ibn al-Qaṣṣār whilst he was ill.

“Why are you so worried?” asked Suḥnūn.

“Because of death, and meeting Allah!” replied Ibn al-Qaṣṣār.

“Hold on, don’t you believe in the Messengers, and the Resurrection, and the Accounting, and Heaven, and Hell, and that the best of this nation is Abu Bakr and then ‘Umar, and that the Qur’ān is the uncreated Word of Allah, and that Allah will be seen on the Day of Standing, and that He rose above His throne, and that you don’t bear arms against the leaders even if they oppress?” asked Suḥnūn.

Ashhab Ibn ‘Abdul-‘Azeez said, `We were with Maalik when a
man from amongst the ‘Alawiyyin (Alawi Sect) stood against him, and they used to come to his gatherings.

So he called out to him, `O Abu ‘Abdullaah!’ So Maalik looked to him, so the Taalibee said to him, `I wish to make you a proof in regards to what is between myself and Allah. When I stand before Him and He asks me, I will say: Maalik said it to me.’ So he said to him, `Speak.’

So he said, `Who is the best of the people
after the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ)?’ Maalik said, ‘Abu Bakr.’

I am a Shia and have this doubt about Ahl ul-Sunnah, and no Sunni Mufti is agreeing to answer a few questions. I have, such as amongst the companions Abu Bakr is viewed as the most superior on account of his closeness to the Prophet . If this is indeed the case then why did the Prophet not select him to be his brother when he divided the companions in to pairs on the Day of Brotherhood? Rather, the Prophet chose Ali saying “You are my brother in this world and the next”, so on what basis is Abu Bakr closer? See the History of the Caliphs who took the right way, by Jalaladeen Suyuti, English translation by Abdassamad Clarke p177, (Taha publishers).

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The excellence of Abu Bakr over all other companions is something on which the Muhaajireen (those who migrated from Makkah to Madeenah) and the Ansaar (the citizens of Madeenah who helped and gave aid to the Muhaajireen) agreed in a consensus. Ibn ‘Umar narrated: “During the reign of the Prophet we were not used to equal anyone to Abu Bakr, then to ‘Umar then to ‘Uthamaan and then we did not distinguish between the remaining companions [considered the rest as equal in rank].“ [Al-Bukhaari]

Moreover, Al-Bayhaqi reported that Al-Shaafi’ee said:’None of the companions nor their righteous followers differed with regard to the preference of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar over all other companions ; nonetheless some of them differed in relation to ‘Ali and ‘Uthmaan as to whom is better than the other.‘

Indeed, there are many texts [evidences] which prove the excellence and preference of Abu Bakr over all other companions in excellence and as a caliph; we are going to mention some of them. The Prophet said: “If I were to take an intimate friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as one, but he is my brother and my companion.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] It is also confirmed that ‘Amr Ibn Al-‘Aas asked the Prophet :”Who is the dearest person to you?” He replied: “‘Aa’ishah.” I asked: “And among men? He said: “Her father.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]Furthermore, ‘Aa’ishah narrated: “When the Prophet was ill during his death sickness, when it was time for the prayer and the call to the prayer was made, He said: “Order Abu Bakr to lead the Muslims in prayers.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

As regards the narration that you mentioned in the question, it is reported by At-Tirmithi that the Prophet said to ‘Ali, : “You are my brother in this world and in the Hereafter.”Some scholars classified the narrators of this narration to be weak. Even if we presume that this narration is authentic, the most that could be said about it is that it proves the excellence of ‘Ali this is a matter that no one doubts. Indeed there are many texts about his excellence and virtues.

However, in the above narration there is nothing that suggests that he is better than Abu Bakr and this is not a defect or imperfection to Abu Bakr because if it was the case, it would be said; why didn’t ‘Ali accompany the Prophet when he migrated, and why the Prophet did not say: “I would have taken ‘Ali as a close friend Instead of Abu Bakr. “, and so forth.

Therefore, the excellence and preference of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, over other companions is evident, and Abu Bakr is the best of all other companions without exception. This is indeed what ‘Ali himself believed in and said. ‘Abdullaah Ibn Salam ah narrated: “I heard ‘Ali saying: “The best of the people after the Prophet is Abu Bakr and the best of the people after Abu Bakr is ‘Umar .“[Ibn Maajah]

“Lives of the Sahabah” is a detailed look into the Companions of our beloved Prophet Mohammed Peace be upon him. You’re invited on a journey to the past, to build a bridge toward a fruitful present, and a hopeful future. Let’s go back to our roots and find out who we are, where we belong, and follow the footsteps of the best of the best.